Advice--Hiking near Las Vegas, Nevada?

[HikerAmiga]

I will be in Las Vegas, Nevada early August on a business trip and plan to have about 3-4 days to do day trips starting on a weekend. More than likely will have to solo this trip and wondered if anyone can offer ideas for day hikes nearby Las Vegas. Red Rock Canyon has already been mentioned to me by non-hikers as a possibility. Anyone here hiked there? How about other nearby areas that don't require more than 3 hours of driving to/from Las Vegas?

I hear it's awfully hot too during early August in Nevada?!

If by chance anyone here may find themselves in this area and want to join forces, please let me know. The company would make it more comfortable to try a backpack.

Thanks!

 

[DougPaul]

I hear it's awfully hot too during early August in Nevada?!

It will most likely be on the warm side, possibly dangerously hot if you are not used to hiking in that kind of heat. Altitude will help.

(Sorry, don't know the immediate area well enough to give you any specific recommendations.

Doug

 

[Puma concolor]

Boundary Peak, the highpoint of Nevada, and its sister Montgomery Peak (higher but just across the border in California) is about halfway between Reno and Las Vegas. Probably just about 3 hours or so away by car depending on how fast you drive (maybe a hair more). I'm heading out this way in September. Over 13,000 feet so heat shouldn't be an issue. Cheers.

 

[Tuco]

I have hiked Turtlehead Peak at Red Red Canyon. I enjoyed it, although I was very out of shape at the time. There is no shade so if its hot and sunny I'd get out there early. I recall a few spots where there was a good amont of scree and slipping, but not too bad. No place where it was really steep

Its a nice area, even if just to drive around and view. I recall a burro walking up and sticking its nose in my window as I was driving out.

Best of all, its right outside vegas so the drive is short and there are numerous hikes you can do.

Enjoy--

 

[amstony]

Red Rock

I hiked Red Rock a few years back and loved it. Besides the views, the Joshua Trees and wild burro's were awesome. I can't wait to get back there!!

I went in late July and it was important to be off the trails by noon. By then it was already in the 90's!!

A great resource is "Hiking Las Vegas- 60 hikes within 60 minutes of the strip", by Branch Whitney. Very useful for Red Rock and the Mt. Charleston area.

A good link with allot of info is www.redrockcanyonlv.org

Bring LOTS of water and be ready for great views.

And rememeber "what happens" in Vegas stays in Vegas!!

 

[audrey]

Nilsa,

I have just the place for you! The Mt. Charleston Wilderness is just an hour west and the peaks top out at nearly 12K feet. Red Rocks will be an inferno in August.

Last November Pat and I hiked Griffith Peak via the South Loop Trail. There was snow above 10K feet and we wore gloves most of the day. We also hiked Trail Canyon and the North Loop to Raintree (a 3000 year old Bristlecone pine) and Mummy spring (at the foot of Mummy Mountain) and it was frozen solid. There are constant views along both these trails, and magnificent trees to make you feel very small.

Take a left off Rte 95 into Kyle Canyon and go to the end of the road, where it loops back to the right, for the Trail Canyon trailhead at about 8K feet. For the South Loops Trail, you take a left where the road splits and heads towards the campground. BE sure to stop at the visitor center for information on fees. There were self-pay stations at the trailheads, like here. You'll be in a national forest.

Branch Whitney is the guru of Las Vegas hiking. He's written a couple of books (they're getting old now - about 10 years, and not all the hikes and directions are up to date) but he has a great website (hikinglasvegas.com) where you can buy books or download individual hikes for a fee. We ran into him in Oak Creek Canyon while bushwhacking - he was scouting a new route and destination.

PM me if you need any help with planning. We've been to Las Vegas (for the hiking!) quite a few times.

 

[dentonfabrics]

What Audrey said.

There's no way you can hike Red Rock Canyon in August but there's plenty of opportunities near Mt Charleston, about an hour out of town. Temps there are usually around 80o. Keep in mind that the area is proned to afternoon thunderstorms in the summer so best get an early start and be back in your car by 2pm.

For specific hikes in that area, I'd highly recommend Branch's site http://www.hikinglasvegas.com/Indv_Hike_Instr.htm . You can d/l trail descriptions of hikes in pdf format for $4. I've used this guys hikes before and his routes are very reliable. The hike to Bonanza Mtn is an easy ten miler with views and wildlife.

Hey Audrey! Have you ever hiked Presentation Hill near Lake Mead? Awesome views, but you need a 4wd to get the the trailhead.


bob

 

[audrey]

Bob,

Did you mean Fortification Hill? Yes - a few years ago, we scraped in part of the way in a minivan before having the good sense to park and walk. Hoover Dam looks a lot better from up there than at ground level!

 

[HikerAmiga]

Thanks folks!

Wow! Thanks for all the input! Red Rock Canyon sounds great but considering the time of year and it's temps, I am much more inclined to drive further west to higher grounds as Audrey has suggested...I don't do too well in the heat despite my Caribbean genes!

I guess if I have a chance to spend a very early half day at Red Rock, I may as well do that too.

I will definitely checkout the links provided and Audrey, you'll most likely hear from me again for specific advice.

Thanks again folks!

Best,

 

[dentonfabrics]

Bob,

Did you mean Fortification Hill?

Yes, of course, Fortification Hill. (I gotta stop posting here while I'm still half-asleep...)

Vegas is one of the great hiking areas in the country, mostly because of all the places that are nearby. Death Valley is 2 hrs away, the drive to Zion is only 2 hours, Grand Canyon, Sedona, and Bryce are all driveable too, and you've got Red Rock and Valley of Fire right in the neighborhood.

My gambling days ended years ago but I still make it out to Vegas every year just for the hiking!


bob

 

[Rik]

Death Valley has some good hiking even in the summer. Telescope Peak is over 11K. On many days you can see Badwater Basin (lowest point in lower 48) and Mt. Whitney (highest point in lower 48). There is also Wildrose Peak (not sure if I'm remembering the name right?) that is about 9k.

 

[giggy]

just hike the strip up and down and toss a nickel in the slots, grab a free beer and head to the next casino

no place like vegas....

 

[TCD]

I'm very familiar with Red Rocks from many visits for rock climbing. I think the suggestion of others to seek higher altitude in August is a good one, although the weather does vary. One trip in May it was 105F every day.

You can do a few cool things in Red Rocks. It's worth it to spend a few minutes at the visitor center, and to at least drive the one-way loop road for scenery.

The early pullouts, especially Sandstone Quarry, have some nice formations for scrambling close to the road. (Turtlehead Peak was mentioned above. It's spectacular looking, though I haven't climbed it. Trail starts from Sandstone Quarry.)

The loop road is routed further away from the West side of the canyon, out into the desert, so the later pullouts feature longer desert walks before you get to rocks. However, Juniper and Pine creek canyons are pretty, once you get into them, with larger trees, and flowing water in the creeks.

I have read that Valley of Fire, about an hour North of Vegas, is also an excellent hiking destination, with even redder rocks than Red Rocks.

Have fun!

TCD

 

[HikerAmiga]

Gosh!! I had NO idea there were so many nice options in this immediate area as other than visiting the Grand Canyon & Tucson, AZ, and Southern California, I've not ventured out west!

I am thinking that a wiser option might be to extend this business trip and make it a longer vacation...my boss has, in fact, asked me to use up my vacation time as I'm kinda maxed out so here's the opportunity!

Thanks for all these great tips!

 

[Snowflea]

Agree w/what everyone else said ('cept for maybe Giggy ), especially Mt. Charleston.

I was also going to suggest that you try to extend your trip by at least a couple of days so you could make the trip to Zion, but you've already thought of that. It takes me 3-4 hours to make the drive from the Strip to the Park, but I drive kinda slow. (What's the dang hurry anyway??!!)

Hope you have a fun trip!

 

[DougPaul]

Gosh!! I had NO idea there were so many nice options in this immediate area as other than visiting the Grand Canyon & Tucson, AZ, and Southern California, I've not ventured out west!

The southwest is a big place with lots of nice things to do. You could easily every vacation you have and still have lots of good stuff to visit.

If you go to the NPS website ( http://www.nps.gov/ ) and look at NV, UT, CO, AZ, and NM, you will find plenty of suggestions. There is also lots of good stuff that is not in the NPS system.

Doug

 

[Steve-o]

Last time I was in Vegas, the speed limit was 75 mph. on inerstate 15. So you can make pretty good time. You could even go a little faster,if so inclined.

If you really want some quick altitude, check out the "big-shot" at the stratosphere hotel. Pretty intense!

 

[audrey]

Since Valley of Fire was mentioned, I gotta tell you about an awesome off trail hike you can do (not in August!)and not see a single tourist (well we are, but let's feel a bit superior). Just park where the North Fork wash intersects the road, a little past the left turn for the Cabins picnic area if you're coming from the south. This was dry, with beautiful pinkish sand that had been trodden only by bighorn sheep. The wash eventually becomes Fire Canyon and can also be followed in the opposite direction from Mouse's Tank.

Just start walking the wash westwards, eventually bending to the south. You can scramble up redrock hills, poke your head through some fine-looking arches for photo ops, go in search of the pink/red/yellow/green cliffs and Silica Dome, scramble through slots of warm sandstone, and try to sit quietly in hopes of seeing some bighorns. It was grand.

Pics are here:

http://community.webshots.com/album/558376336xyZwNX

 

[mtnpa]

Nilsa,

Last time I was out there I hiked into White Rock Canyon. It's about two miles past Hoover Dam:

http://www.vftt.org/index-vftt.html


Bring LOTS of water!